The prevent invention relates to a method and an apparatus for adjusting and mounting optical components in optical instruments.
Optical instruments generally consist of numerous optical components which must be adjusted accurately with respect to each other and to the chassis of the instrument in order for the optical instrument to have the properties desired. For this reason the optical components are generally arranged with adjustable holders on an instrument chassis, frame, or the like. Depending on the number of degrees of freedom which are necessary for the adjustment, such holders require a large number of manufacturing steps and are thus expensive. Frequently, after adjustment has been effected the position must still be secured against unintentional change by additional measures such as clamps or varnish. Adjustable holders in various embodiments have been known for a long time. Various possibilities are described, for instance, in the book by M. Pollermann, "Bauelemente der physikalischen Technik."
An inexpensive adjustable mounting is known from West German Utility Model or Gebrauchsmuster No. 73 34 958, dated Apr. 10, 1975. In that case the optical element or its mount is fastened on an intermediate part which is developed as a bridge and is connected to a base plate by four plastically deformable webs bent at an angle of 90.degree.. The adjustment of the optical element is effected by systematic plastic deformation of the webs of the intermediate piece, to produce displacement or tilting of the optical element as desired.
It is furthermore known to insert lenses and mirrors in centered position within plastic rings and in this way facilitate the further mounting and adjustment. In West German Pat. No. 892 523, published Oct. 8, 1953, the lens or mirror is grasped for this purpose on both sides by annular clamps which exert practically no friction, the clamps being arranged concentrically in the chamber or a plastic press. A plastic composition is then injected into the press. This provides the lens or mirror at its periphery with a plastic ring, the periphery of this ring being thus centered with respect to the optical axis of the lens.
In Austrian Pat. No. 346 626, published Nov. 27, 1978, the lens is arranged between two clamping tubes to which a fluid is fed under pressure for the centering.
Finally, it is also known to cover optical systems such as field glasses in mounted and adjusted condition with a plastic which simultaneously protects the optical parts and assures that they are held together. This has been described, for instance, in British Pat. No. 1 208 746, published Oct. 14, 1970. At the same time, a practical easily handled outer shape can be assured.
These known methods are unsatisfactory in many respects: The covering presupposes a system which has been adjusted entirely properly. The centered mounting of round components takes care of only a small part of the optical adjustment work. The plastically deformable holder still requires considerable expense for manufacture, in addition to experience and skill in adjustment.
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method and an apparatus for the adjusting and mounting of optical components in instruments which, at minimum expense and with the greatest possible precision, permits adjustment in up to three directions in space and around up to three axes in space, and makes it possible to fix the adjustment in time as well as thermally in a very stable fashion.